offerings &c. before the LORD; fo that it is manifeft, that hitherto there has been a failure and interruption both in the royal line of David, and in the facerdotal one of Levi. This is a plain proof that the prophecy alludes not to any time that is already past, but refpects that which is to come and is alfo a demonstration, that this prophecy, was not fulfilled in the person of Jesus; for he did not restore the ten tribes; nor did he heal the wound of their captivity. On the contrary, it is well known that, a few years after his death, according to the prediction of Daniel, their temple was burnt, their chief city deftroyed, and their country laid waste. Thoufands and tens of thousands of them were deftroyed by the fword, and by famine, &c. and the remainder carried into this long and woful captivity; where they have suffered such dreadful perfecutions, as no nation ever suffered. So that inftead of procuring for them, the great and exalted happiness mentioned in this prophecy, they have experienced nothing but shame and misery, fince the time of his appearance on earth: and which is a demonftration, that he could not be the Meffiah, promised to the nation.

VOL. II.

' Dd

As

د

in the second part of this work; when we come to confider thofe prophecies which Christians only apply to the Meffiah, but which will be shewn not to be applicable to the Meffiah) for I am confident that there is not any authority in the Old Testament, to warrant fuch reafoning: nor is there any foundation for the fcheme of a spiritual kingdom of the Meffiah, contained therein.

The feventh prophecy is contained in the two last verses of Chapter ivth. of the Lamentations of Jeremiah.

Verse 21.-22. 66 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwelleft in the land of Uz; unto thee alfo fhall the cup pafs over; thou shalt be intoxicated, and shalt expose thy nakednefs. The punishment of thine iniquity is at an end, O daughter of Zion, he will not cause thee any more to go into captivity: he hath visited thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he hath discovered thy fins." The Prophet thus comforts the daughter of Zion, by affuring her, that she had suffered the whole of her punishment; and confequently had nothing more to apprehend of any future captivity: and alfo

that

that the punishment of those that had persecuted her, was now to begin; and which denotes the time of the future redemption: when God will not only redeem the nation; but will also in an exemplary manner, punifh all thofe that perfecuted them during this long and dreadful captivity; (as already fhewn in the courfe of this work; and will be farther feen in the explanation of the remaining prophecies) for the words of the Prophet can by no means apply to their return from Babylon: for then, it could not be faid, that, "the punishment of their iniquity was at an end." And with much less propriety could the Prophet say, "he will not cause thee to go into captivity any more." For in the first place, it is well known that, when they came out from Babylon, they were not free; and after their return, during the continuance of the second temple, they were in almost continual fubjection, to the Perfians, Greeks, and Romans; the laft of whom, four hundred and ninety years after their return, destroyed their city and temple, and carried them into captivity, where they have remained to this day. Neither did the cup pafs unto the daughter of Edom, at their return from Babylon:

bylon for the Edom here mentioned, denotes the Romans; who were defcended from the Dukes of Efau, or Edom, as I have fhewn, Vol. Ift. page 217. &c. and as will be fhewn more largely in the explanation of the Prophecy of Obadiah, which treats folely concerning Edom. Whence it is manifeft that, this prophecy, delivered for the comfort of the daughter of Zion, has not yet been accomplished: not at their return to Babylon; nor yet in the time of Jefus and it would be only wafting of time, to fhew that it can by no means be applied in any sense whatever, to the fpiritualizing scheme of the Chriftians: confequently, it remains to be fulfilled at the future redemption of the nation, by the hands of the true Meffiah.

These great and important prophecies of Jeremiah, which he prophefied concerning the future restoration of the nation, contain fix of the thirteen fundamental principles contained in the prophecies of Ifaiah. viz. First, the vengeance which God will take on the nations at the time of the future redemption, and the deftruction that he will bring upon them; for all the evil which

they

that the punishment of those that had persecuted her, was now to begin; and which denotes the time of the future redemption: when God will not only redeem the nation; but will alfo in an exemplary manner, punish all those that perfecuted them during this long and dreadful captivity; (as already fhewn in the courfe of this work; and will be farther feen in the explanation of the remaining prophecies) for the words of the Prophet can by no means apply to their return from Babylon: for then, it could not be faid, that, "the punishment of their iniquity was at an end." And with much lefs propriety could the Prophet fay, "he will not cause thee to go into captivity any more." For in the first place, it is well known that, when they came out from Babylon, they were not free; and after their return, during the continuance of the second temple, they were in almost continual fubjection, to the Perfians, Greeks, and Romans; the laft of whom, four hundred and ninety years after their return, destroyed their city and temple, and carried them into captivity, where they have remained to this day. Neither did the cup pafs unto the daughter of Edom, at their return from Babylon :